Vets Connect on the South Side

William Cole and the Public Allies team at Vets Connect BBQ

The Veterans Leadership Program hosted a great event last Saturday down on Carson Street in Pittsburgh, bringing together a variety of support and fellowship organizations involved with our veteran community here in Southwestern PA. Pictured here is William Cole, the driving force behind the University of Pittsburgh's Pitt Vets group and the initiator of the BBQ event. Will, a fellow GSPIA student and veteran Marine, delivered a few remarks about the opportunities for vets in the area and thanked the many event participants, like folks from the Pittsburgh VA, Pitt's Office of Veterans Services, and the great team of organizers serving with Public Allies. Just a great afternoon of camaraderie, and more than a few South Side hot dogs! Many thanks to those dedicated to supporting veterans and their families in the Pittsburgh area.    

Scotland Brave

My introduction to the works of Robert Louis Stevenson was not, as is I assume is more common, through a reading of Treasure Island or Kidnapped, but on the wall of a Hardee's restaurant along Routes 11&15, the major thoroughfare that leads into my hometown of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.  Connections between fast food restaurants and literature aren't easy to come by, but for some reason our particular Hardee's was decorated with a lithograph image of man in silhouette, resting his arm upon an oar dipped into the river flowing gracefully beneath his boat, with a fairly recognizable landscape of the surrounding valley stretching into the distance around him.  And beside this image were these words:

And when I had asked the name of a river from the brakesman, and heard that it was called the Susquehanna, the beauty of the name seemed to be part and parcel of the beauty of the land. As when Adam with divine fitness named the creatures, so this word Susquehanna was at once accepted by the fancy. That was the name, as no other could be, for that shining river and desirable valley.

The quote was attributed to Robert Louis Stevenson, and from that day forward I've always made the connection between that author and the river that defines the region in which I grew up.  I'm not even sure when I learned that Stevenson was a Scot, growing up in Edinburgh but leaving later in life to seek out a climate more agreeable to his poor health.  His journey took him across North America and eventually to the Pacific island of Samoa, where he died at the age of 44.

I am currently in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland,  the "Athens of the North"; and my route to the National Archives every morning takes me past the home of the Stevenson family, a large Georgian structure that has fallen on hard times; I gaze into boarded-up windows and over cracks yielding to sprouts of grass on the front landing.  There must be a story behind why, in a city so cognizant of its history and tireless in its outreach to tourists, this building is not the site of a museum, or at the very least a trendy Stevenson-themed pub, but I haven't come across it.  I did learn that Robert Sr. was a notable engineer, responsible for building some of the world's most advanced lighthouses of the age.  His only son, however, turned away from studying engineering at the University of Edinburgh to pursue his passion for literature. I learned this from the cab driver on the way from the airport to my rented apartment in a neighborhood just a short walk from Edinburgh's Old Town and famous geographic landmark, Arthur's Seat.  From the pinnacle of this hilltop one is offered one of the most spectacular views in Europe; the sturdy stone of the past, in the shape of the city's ancient Castle and the time-worn buildings aligning the Royal Mile, is surrounded by the encroachments of the vibrant present in the thrusting height of apartment towers, the massive arenas of modern sport and the pathways of progress, those cluttered highways and reaching train routes.  It's a beautifully mad mosaic.

So, what am I doing here? Researching Scotch whisky.  That's "whisky"- without the "e" (an Irish and American addition to the word, which itself is a made up concoction deriving from the Gaelic "uisge beatha" - from the Latin "aqua vitae" (water of life!))  Whatever you call it, it's a splendid spirit.  More on that later.  My objective over the next few weeks is to delve into the history of the Scotch export trade.  Scotch whisky currently makes up over 23% of all food and drink exports for the UK, producing an extraordinary amount of revenue for the state, and maintaining the livelihood of 1 out of 50 people in Scotland.  This commodity has had a fascinating history at the nexus of agriculture, economics, social behaviors, religious beliefs, popular culture and my particular interest: empire.  I am researching the archives of Scotch whisky distillers, blenders and agents (sellers) in order to learn more about the significance of international trade to the Scotch business in the early decades of the 20th century, when the British Empire brought its products and habits to locations all across the globe.  In particular, I intend to describe the arrival and growth of the Scotch whisky trade in Iraq, and the factors that led my good friend, Subhy al-Meshadani, Baghdad Provincial Council member, to tell me that no Iraqi today would throw a good party without serving Johnnie Walker...

Much thanks to the University of Pittsburgh's Nationality Rooms Scholarship program and to the Scottish Room grant committee under Robert Murdoch, Esq.

Kenya Volunteer

Below is an article about Norm Golightly, a classmate of mine from Penn and a fellow Mask and Wig member, who recently had an amazing experience volunteering in an orphanage in Kenya.

Orphans change volunteer’s outlook on life



BY JOHANNA WEIDNER, RECORD STAFF
TheRecord.com 5/21/2010

Norm Golightly needed a break from the hectic, yet privileged life of a movie producer in Los Angeles.

He found that respite, along with a new perspective, at an orphanage outside Nairobi in rural Kenya.

“I’ve never been in a happier place in my life,” Golightly, 37, said in a recent interview.

The children were dressed in torn clothing and had no possessions of their own — except huge, ever-present smiles that greeted Golightly at the orphanage doors.

“They’re genuinely happy and healthy,” said Golightly, a Kitchener native who had roles in school plays at Forest Heights Collegiate and attended a summer acting camp at the Centre in the Square. He moved to California after studying business at the Wharton School of Business in Pennsylvania and until recently ran a movie production company in West Hollywood with actor Nicolas Cage.

Golightly stayed at the Cura Orphanage for five weeks earlier this year while trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life after the movie company’s collapse.

He had done some volunteer work in Los Angeles, including taking part in a mentoring program for inner city young people.

But, he said, “I found it a little too cosy.”

At the end of the day, he recalled, he would return to the comforts of his home.

“I wanted to get my hands dirty.”

Golightly recalled a friend of a friend whose father had started an orphanage in Kenya — and soon arrangements were made. The Cura Orphanage is supported by several Rotary Clubs in North America, the United Kingdom and Kenya itself.

Golightly’s offer to orphanage staff members unsure about his visit’s purpose was obliging: “I’ll do whatever. I’ll dig wells. I’ll mend fences. What ever you need.”

Nerves got the best of Golightly on the plane to Kenya.

He imagined himself being the odd one out in a place overcast in sadness.

Those worries vanished as soon as he stepped out of the car at the orphanage and the children rushed to greet him. The fastest of the bunch grabbed his luggage to take to the room where he would be staying.

“They were just so loving and they were so happy,” said Golightly. “It’s a really amazing place.”

The orphanage is home to 50 children between the age of four and 15. All lost their parents to AIDS. Another 100 children are on a waiting list to live at the orphanage. It has the capacity for 150, but there’s not enough funding.

Children live there for a decade or so, with no expectation they will be adopted.
Golightly was a welcome guest and a novelty in the young lives ruled by routine. He filled his days playing and talking with the children and found that most speak English quite well.

He had one big plan for his time at the orphanage — to bring donated used digital cameras to hand out so the children could snap photos.

“The cameras ended up being a big hit. It was chaos. They couldn’t get enough of it,” he said.
Basic instructions were given and then the children were let loose with the cameras to capture their world. The images amazed Golightly.
“They were so talented and they just see the world from a different perspective.”

The same happiness that caught Golightly by surprise is evident in the photographs. He plans to enlarge and frame some of them to hang in his home.

A book and a photo exhibit are also in the works now to raise money for the orphanage. And Golightly hopes to assist other orphanages and expand the photography project. He has posted photos on his Facebook group, called Kenya Spare a Camera, through which he also received donations to buy the orphanage a cow and chickens.

The trip revealed other opportunities to Golightly. He’s writing a book about charity and about the nature of giving, inspired by a generous gift he received from a girl at the orphanage. The broken bracelet was a treasure to a child who lives in a place with no toys or anything to call your own.
“She insisted that I take it,” Golightly said. “I realized this girl just gave me 100 per cent of her possessions as a thank you.”
People living in developed nations can learn from that girl’s gesture, Golightly said.

Making movies with a message is what he hopes to tackle now, blending his production expertise with his new-found outlook.

Leaving the orphanage was tough for both Golightly and the children.

“I think they thought I’d moved in and I’d just be one of them,” he said.

Sadness crept into the orphanage when the children learned their new friend would be leaving. Golightly, too, had forged a strong connection with the children and threw a party before his departure to lift everyone’s spirits.

A strong bond had been forged in just a few weeks and Golightly looks forward to returning to visit the children, who gave him far more than he ever expected.

“It was a truly amazing experience.”

therecord.com

New Addition

Many of you know that Hussein, pictured here with his family, served with me in Iraq and is now starting a new life here in Pittsburgh.  Well, he has now been joined by a few more family members -- the newest of which is little Mouj, born on March 30, 2010! She is a beautiful little girl, and has quite a head of hair on her! Her name means "foam of the ocean wave" in Arabic, in keeping a common practice of very descriptive names.  Nour is now a very busy mother, taking care of this new little girl and learning English along with their son Soleiman, who has been doing very well in school - and loves Spiderman (so he tells me).  Hussein is doing well in his job with a local security company, and we've been very lucky to find jobs for his sister Wafaa and mother Anne, who just arrived in Pittsburgh a few months ago.  She's looking forward to getting her driver's license soon.  (She thinks Pittsburgh traffic will be much easier than in Baghdad...) We all had lunch the other day and caught up - it's been quite a busy time lately.  Mumtaz!

Tribute in the News

Our Tribute to Veterans on Saturday was covered by StateCollege.com and reported today as part of their Veterans Day coverage.

Brothers and Veterans Inspire Others to Serve
Nov 11, 2009
by Jen Golding
StateCollege.com

Somewhere in the mosh pit of trailers and RVs at Saturday’s pre-game tailgate, surrounded by cheering fans and loud music, the people gathered at the “Biz-Hub” RV hung their heads in silence.

Although most of the people surrounding Beaver Stadium were honoring the Nittany Lions with traditional tailgates, brothers Dan and Steve Bisbee wanted to honor the men and women who have, currently are or have ambitions to serve in the military.

The veteran brothers, who grew up in Central Pennsylvania, agree that there is a short distance between the cutting edge of American foreign policy and small town Pennsylvania.

“The Pennsylvania National Guard is one of the largest contingents serving overseas, therefore a huge amount of diplomatic effort is done by people from small town Pennsylvania,” said Dan Bisbee.

Dan majored in history at The University of Pennsylvania, where he enrolled in the Army ROTC program. Upon graduation in 1994, he was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Army. He served at Fort Hood, Texas, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. When he completed his active duty service, Dan received his master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for transatlantic security and intelligence policy.

In 2005, Dan returned to active duty when he was called to serve in Iraq to work with city officials in Baghdad on reconstruction. He returned home in 2006, but was asked by the State Department to come back in a similar capacity in 2007-2008. He returned to Central Pennsylvania in the summer of 2008. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Pittsburgh and working on a dissertation that connects the long-term history of Baghdad to the current efforts of the U.S. government of counterinsurgency and foreign policy.

“While I was in Iraq, I saw the key to success in Baghdad or anywhere,” said Dan. “It’s not the high-level politicians who matter, it’s the people who work in the government offices and dedicate themselves to fellow citizens.”

What made a huge impression on Dan was seeing Iraqis risking their lives every day just to go to work to make their city a better place.

“The experience changed me,” said Dan. “It made me more aware that things don’t just happen in history, people make things happen. Individual actions matter.”

Steve said his experience in the military changed him as well.

“I was overseas for every single holiday. I didn’t have a family at the time, but I witnessed how hard it was for people who did to be apart from their families, yet they were committed to serving their country,” he said. “I realized it’s important to make societies less stable than ours more stable.”

Steve graduated from Sellinsgrove Area High School in 1993, three years after Dan. He then enrolled in the Army ROTC program at the University of Pennsylvania as well, where he majored in business at Penn’s Wharton School.

After graduating in 1997, Steve was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Army. He spent four years in active duty service, where he was based in Fort Hood, Texas, but served in overseas missions in Bosnia and Kosovo.

Fort Hood is the site of the mass shooting that occurred last Thursday in which 13 people were killed and 28 wounded by an Army psychiatrist facing deployment to Afghanistan.

“I spent four of my best years stationed in Fort Hood,” Steve reflected. “We need to take a moment to honor those victims and all civil servants.”

In 2001, Steve left military service to work on civilian assignments with the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. Three years later, he moved back to Central Pennsylvania and received a master’s degree in business administration from Penn State University. He is now vice president of S&A Homes Inc., a residential home-building company based in State College.

In 2006, Steve paired up with Dan to start the Bisbee Project, a nonprofit organization which seeks to recognize young leaders in high school who could make good government servants. Scholarships for Service is an important aspect of the project, which awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors who are enrolling in Army, Navy or Air Force ROTC, or a service academy after graduation.

So far, 19 scholarships through 11 high schools have been awarded to exceptional students who plan to pursue a military or government service career. Dan and Steve disagree with the belief that our current generation of Americans isn’t up to our current generation of problems.

“We need to forge a path to the future,” said Steve. “To do that, we need to underscore the importance of service at any capacity.”

Steve and Dan were inspired by their experiences as officers in the U.S. Army at the forefront of American foreign policy. Because their service is such a big part of who they are, the idea behind the Bisbee Project is how to serve the community without being in uniform.

“We want our experiences as veterans to always be present with us,” said Dan. “However long you spend in a service career, it will always have an impact on you. It will greatly help you become a better citizen regardless of where you end up. That’s what our society needs right now.”

Dan believes smart citizenship means awareness of issues and the world around us and a commitment to making positive actions. That’s why the Bisbee Project awards scholarships to not only aspiring military personnel, but to motivated students who demonstrate an interest in government and community service.

“The call to service and volunteer is an important rallying cry,” said Dan. “The government should encourage more service no matter what level it’s on. It all makes a positive impact.”

Dan and Steve awarded the first scholarship to a student from their own alma mater. Since then, they have branched out to other high schools through relationships with rotary clubs and colleagues.

The scholarship money comes from private donations from like-minded individuals interested in encouraging the next generation of young leaders in Pennsylvania. Dan and Steve hold fundraising campaigns every year.

“But it’s not about the money,” said Steve. “It’s about the recognition. It’s special for them and for us.”

Also present at the Bisbee tailgate were representatives of the Penn State ROTC program. Justin Strine and Nicole Spiller, both freshmen, were presented a football signed by Dan and Steve and about seven other veterans present who had served in places such as Vietnam, Iraq and Bosnia. The football was meant to honor their commitment to serve.

One of those veterans was Dan and Steve’s father, Fred Bisbee, a retired U.S. Army ranger.

“He is an example of someone whose career in the military provided a model to take inspiration from,” said Steve.

Fred believes his sons are doing a “tremendous job” with the Bisbee Project.

“The Bisbee Project is a good opportunity for kids to learn about the military,” said Spiller after being presented with the football. Spiller plans to enter the Army Nurse Corps upon graduation.

The most recent scholarship recipients were also recognized at the tailgate. Brothers Michael and Zachary Sunday graduated from Bellefonte High School last year and are currently freshmen at Penn State. Michael and Zachary are both majoring in Crime, Law, and Justice.

“I plan to work for the FBI someday,” said Michael. “I think it’s wonderful that Dan and Steve give money to people who plan to serve our country.”

Dan and Steve’s future plan for the Bisbee Project is to spread through all 67 counties in Pennsylvania, recognizing and honoring students from every county with scholarship money. They are dedicated to communicating stories of people dedicated to service and using those stories to inspire young people to continue servicing our country.

“The ultimate objective is to give former veterans the opportunity to mentor future veterans,” said Steve. “I’m sure many kids have questioned their involvement in military or government service, so we need to create a supportive network and encourage kids to give service a shot.”

Photos by Victoria Magliaro.

From The Daily Item: Sunbury,PA

Siblings pay tribute to veterans

By Tricia Pursell

The Daily Item

November 10, 2009

— SELINSGROVE — Selinsgrove native and Iraq veteran Dan Bisbee knows how important it is for small-town residents to step out and support their country.

“So much of our foreign policy right now is dependent on people who grow up in small-town America,” he said. “They do matter on the world stage.”

Bisbee is managing director of the Bisbee Project, which seeks to develop effective leadership, responsible government and global awareness.

He began the project in 2006, along with his brother, Steven, also an Army veteran.

“We started looking for ways we could continue our service,” Bisbee said.

Through fundraisers and donations, the project gathers money for scholarships for high school seniors who are pursuing a career in the service by enlisting in the Army, Navy or Air Force ROTC, attending one the nation’s service academies or entering service in a local, state or federal government agency after graduation.

Now in its third year, Scholarships for Service is awarding 19 scholarships, each worth a couple of hundred dollars, Bisbee said. In addition to the money, the students are selected and then recognized in front of their peers.

“For us, Veterans Day is about paying tribute to the greatest generations that have come before us, but it’s also a moment for us to inspire and encourage the next generation who are going to carry that torch into the future,” he said.

The Bisbee Project also raises money for Preserving Pennsylvania, aimed at historical preservation and natural conservation.

“I have a soft spot in my heart for the Susquehanna Valley,” Bisbee said. “I’m really fond of the place that made me who I am. When I was overseas, it was definitely a place I thought of getting back to very often.”

Bisbee graduated from Selinsgrove Area High School in 1990. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 1994, he was commissioned an officer in the Army and served at Fort Hood, Texas, as well as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He later received a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he specialized in transatlantic security and intelligence policy.

In 2005, Bisbee returned to active duty to make his first trip to Iraq as an Army officer. He made his second trip to Iraq in 2007 with the U.S. State Department, serving on the Baghdad Provincial Reconstruction Team. He is working on a doctorate in history at the University of Pittsburgh.

Steven Bisbee, president of the Bisbee Project, is a 1993 Selinsgrove graduate. He was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and served in Bosnia and Kosovo. He later was employed by the Department of Defense and now serves as vice president of S&A Homes Inc., a residential home-building company headquartered in State College.

Tribute to Veterans

We had the honor of hosting a special Tribute to Veterans at our Penn State tailgate this past weekend outside Beaver Stadium before the game. At Veterans Day it is important to note the service and sacrifices of our nation's vets, and we were proud to pay our respects to the veterans in our midst, as well as those currently serving abroad.

We also believe Veterans Day is about inspiring and encouraging the next generation of veterans to pick up the torch and continue the proud tradition of service that we have inherited. Some cadets from the Penn State Army ROTC program joined us for our tribute, and we took the opportunity to recognize their role in keeping this tradition alive. We were also joined by one of our Scholarships for Service awardees, Mike Sunday, who is currently studying criminal justice at Penn State and hopes to join the ranks of our law enforcement agents at the FBI in the future. Below are some photos of the camaraderie at our BizHub tailgate.

The Next Generation

We had the opportunity to speak to an outstanding group of students at Central Pennsylvania College yesterday. We talked to them about the mission of The Bisbee Project and our efforts to serve as a "scouting agency for talent", looking for dedicated and energetic individuals willing to give careers in service a shot. Whether it's military service on the front lines of American foreign policy or pitching in to improve our local communities, those who serve are those who really make a difference in all of our lives. Central Penn is a great school that produces graduates in business, communications, information technology, criminal justice and homeland security management. We talked to a number of motivated students who are on the brink of making that leap into their future careers, and we wish them all the best of luck.

Our visit was covered by a number of media outlets, and there are some links below.

CBS News 21 News at 10

ABC 27 News at 7

WHP CBS News 21 News at 6

Baghdad follow up

I got through to a number of my Iraqi friends and colleagues in Baghdad over the past week since the explosions last Sunday that demolished portions of the Baghdad provincial government headquarters, a Ministry of Justice building and other government facilities in downtown Baghdad.

I first got a hold of Rasul, a staffer who worked closely with me on issues pertaining to the committee responsible for the administrative relationships between the Provincial Council and Baghdad's local district and neighborhood councils. He assured me that he was fine, but many of his co-workers were injured in the blast, some of them fatally.

I also spoke with Faisel Shuber, a district council member from one of Baghdad's suburban villages and one of my oldest friends in Baghdad. He had just come from meeting with PC member Mohammed al-Rubeiy and district council member Kadem al-Shimary; he said they were fine and that none of the current PC members were killed in the blast. As Sunday is the beginning of the workweek in Baghdad, this is extremely fortunate -- not only for those individuals and their families, but for the functioning of local government in Baghdad.

The council reportedly met at their usual weekly meeting on Tuesday, but at a different location -- to demonstrate their resolve in the face of a terrorist act specifically targeting them and their efforts to rebuild their capital. Another friend of mine from the Adhamiya neighborhood, Omar al-Rahmani, said he was on his way to the council building at the time of the blast and therefore narrowly missed possibly becoming one of the hundreds of casualties in these attacks. He assured me that Ms. Shatha al-Obedie, longtime media spokeswoman for the provincial governor, was not injured in the blast. Omar did explain how the blast at the Ministry of Justice also levelled a local kindergarten, adding to the horror of the event. Families have been searching for their children in the rubble over the past week. Please take a moment to offer your thoughts and prayers to the victims of this attack, and wish the people of Baghdad the fortitude to maintain their resolve in the face of the continuing challenges they face.

In other news about friends and colleagues in Baghdad, I am sad to post that former Baghdad Provincial Council member Dr. Kamel al-Shabibi passed away last week. He had traveled to the U.S. to undergo heart surgery, but suffered a heart attack before reaching surgery. He spent his last days with the family of his brother, who as an American citizen who has lived in the States for decades since emigrating from Iraq, worked at the US Embassy as an agriculture advisor to the reconstruction effort.


Dr. Shabibi was a fabulous gentleman, and was widely considered the "elder statesman" of the Provincial Council during his term, which overlapped my tours in 2005-06 and again in 2007-08. Respected for his wisdom and candor in a volatile environment sorely lacking in both, he served as an excellent moderator between the US Embassy and the Baghdad provincial government throughout many difficult situations. He was gracious with his time; weighing in on the heaviest issues complicating our joint reconstruction efforts as well as just being an enjoyable presence at our more social gatherings. A number of us gained extraordinary insight into Iraqi culture and politics just by having some tea with him; his overall impact on our reconstruction efforts is incalculable.

He was an extraordinary presence in the drive to improve access to microfinance in Baghdad, bringing capital to Baghdad's new generation of entrepreneurs and building strong institutional relationships between the Provincial Council and Baghdad's local district councils. While rarely touted as one of the critical components of the "surge" strategy that pulled Baghdad back from the brink of civil war in 2006-07, these economic initiatives, led by courageous individuals like Dr. Shabibi who refused to submit to naysayers and doubters, were instrumental -- and will continue to have an impact on the long term development of Baghdad and the wider Middle East.

He will be remembered as a friend, as a confidant, as a negotiator, as a leader, as a patriot, as a visionary, and as a generous man and a kind soul.

(In the photo above, I am standing to the left of Dr. Shabibi. We were attending a training sessions for new council members at the Rashid Hotel in early 2007.)

Baghdad blasts

The Baghdad provincial government was one of the apparent targets in yesterday's attack in downtown Baghdad. Dozens of staffers and provincial employees were killed and injured in the blast. I have not received word of any Provincial Council members killed; Governor Salah was in Washington attending an economic conference and immediately flew back to Baghdad. PC member Mohammed al-Rubeiy has been quoted in several news stories, stating that 25 PC staff members have been killed. I will repost news here as I get it from individuals on the ground there in Baghdad and elsewhere.


from WSJ.com
Deadly Blasts Rock Baghdad, Killing Dozens
By GINA CHON


BAGHDAD -- Two powerful suicide car bombs near high-profile government offices rocked the capital on Sunday in the deadliest attack here in more than two years, killing at least 147 people and raising fresh worry about the capabilities of Iraq's security services ahead of national elections scheduled for January.

The Ministry of Interior said that in addition to the dead, more than 500 people were injured. Charred bodies, limbs and the smoldering shells of dozens of cars littered the area. The explosions also shattered windows throughout the nearby Mansour Hotel, which houses the Chinese Embassy. Some ceilings collapsed.

The blasts, which the government said bore the signature of al Qaeda in Iraq, most damaged Baghdad's provincial headquarters and the nearby federal Ministry of Justice. Many of the protective blast walls surrounding those buildings collapsed.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visited the site of the attacks and blamed al Qaeda and members of the Baath party. His office said in a statement that the explosions were meant to create instability and to stop the January parliamentary elections.

President Barack Obama called the attacks an attempt to "derail Iraq's progress." He said the U.S. "will stand with Iraq's people and government as a close friend and partner as Iraqis prepare for elections early next year." The president spoke with Mr. Maliki and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani by phone to express his condolences.

It's Not Just Lunch

Counterinsurgency is a full spectrum activity. While I typically discuss the political and social aspects of the campaign I was involved with during the surge, called the Baghdad Security Plan, or Operation Fardh al Qanoon (Arabic for "Enforcing the Law"), it is important to understand its critical security components as well. We talked about these "kinetic operations" at the Q&A session following my talk at the State College Rotary Downtown Club meeting on Thursday. The Downtown Club is one of five Rotary Clubs in the State College area, attesting to the strength of community service in the region.

Reacting to the unconventional nature of the military's role in Iraq, units deploying there began organizing themselves differently than they typically would for the large-scale combat operations that standard doctrine calls for. These novel adjustments, over several years of deployments, crystallized into new standard operating procedures that assigned certain units and staff positions to supporting either "kinetic" or "non-kinetic" operations, simply meaning those during which you intend to shoot bullets and those where you don't. In most Army divisions you would now find a two-star general in command, a one-star in charge of kinetic and another one-star responsible for non-kinetic operations. My work on the PRT in Baghdad was intricately linked to this one-star general and his staff as we developed the strategies and policies related to rebuilding and supporting Iraq's government service infrastructure and civil-society institutions. But we never worked in a vacuum; our strategies were closely coordinated with the kinetic operations that involved raids on insurgent strongholds, cordon and search missions and the security of key infrastructure facilities.

I was asked about the foreign fighters that served as main driver for the insurgency, and where they were now that the levels of violence have decreased. I replied frankly that our operations successfully neutralized a number of these fighters, and broke up the networks they used to plan and execute attacks on US forces and Iraqi civilians. A typical set-up involved a foreign fighter, backed by al-Qaeda funding, sub-contracting his work out to local Iraqis. These locals would be employed to set IEDs for passing US convoys, sometimes making a hundred or two hundred dollars for a successful attack, a substantial sum in Iraq. Getting the video of the attack could double that amount. Our counterinsurgency strategy involved getting intelligence on these networks, killing or capturing the foreign-financed leader, and then making an effort to create alternative employment opportunities in those areas where local Iraqis may be susceptible to the financial incentives of supporting the insurgency.

Therefore our overall strategy involved an extraordinary amount of coordination between the combat operations, and the campaigns of economic and political development targeted to support the ability of Iraqi government institutions to effectively and equitably provide services to the population.

This week's horrific attacks in Baghdad underscore the fact that while the insurgency may be down, it is certainly not out.

A few weeks before I left Baghdad, I was invited downtown to one of the city's notable social clubs. I visited with some of the middle aged and older professional gentlemen that made up the bulk of the club's membership, many of whom were enjoying a mid-day Scotch. We had lunch in the club's dining room, and then popped our heads into the main ballroom, where there was some kind of festivity occurring. It turned out to be a graduation ceremony for the Baghdad School of Dentistry. About a hundred or so of Baghdad's future dentists were having a party with their families, celebrating the completion of their training and the beginning of their new careers. I like to relate this anecdote when I talk about Iraq because it reflects what I refer to as the surprising element of the mundane to be found there. Over the past few years we have been made painfully aware of the roadside bombs, the suicide market attacks, and the strife of sectarian violence. But there's a lot going on there that we don't hear much about, that frankly may have a lot more impact on Iraq's long term future. Like dentists.

As always, we enjoyed the opportunity to visit with the community leaders found within the ranks of the Rotary Club; people who know that the future of a great community like State College doesn't stay great without the hard work of selfless individuals. Special thanks to Cathy Brown and Don Bedell, pictured here with me and Steve.

The Hussein Chronicles

Some of you may recognize Hussein, a friend of mine who worked with me in Baghdad as an interpreter during both of my tours, in this photo. This is a shot from last week during our first bowling outing in Squirrel Hill since Hussein arrived in Pittsburgh last winter. Neither of us could be considered 'avid' bowlers, or even 'proficient' bowlers. Frankly, it's a stretch to even call us bowlers at all. But we settled on bowling as the evening's activity and gave it a shot. My initiation into the sport began at a young age in Selinsgrove at Super Bowl 522, with the after school program run by Mr. Rutkowski. He always hovered over anybody with two strikes in a row, to be there if they pulled off the "turkey." Most of us choked under the pressure. Hussein told me about the times before the war when his dad took him to the bowling alley in the Rasheed Hotel. If that name rings a bell, it's because that's one of the most famous landmarks in downtown Baghdad and the place where many foreign journalists stay and report from when in Iraq. Located just on the edge of the International Zone, it has also served as one of the most popular places to conduct diplomatic business in Baghdad. I have to admit that after two and a half years of nearly daily meetings at the Rasheed, I had no idea there was a bowling alley there, apparently under one of the night clubs. Hussein's father was killed in a suicide bombing in 2006 at a market a few blocks away from the Rasheed. His mother was also injured in the blast, but has since recovered and soon hopes to join Hussein here in Pittsburgh. Nearly every member of Hussein's family chose to serve as interpreters. Hussein worked with me both while I was in the Army and with the State Department and also ran missions with Blackwater security teams. His mother worked at the US Embassy, and his sister Wafaa served with Army units at Camp Liberty on the outskirts of Baghdad. Wafaa just arrived here in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, also under the Special Immigrant Visa program, set up to expedite the immigration of Iraqis who served with the U.S. Government. Hussein was able to bring his wife Nour and little boy Suleyman to the States as well. We've had good news on the job front lately, as first Hussein got a job as a security guard and then his wife was able to get a job in the same building on the cleaning crew. Wafaa is working on getting some interviews lined up. They are adapting well to their new lives but it is certainly full of challenges. While most of the people he works with have been friendly and helpful, he does feel that his Arab appearance and accent throws some people off at times and he has overheard some prejudiced comments. He has even found that mentioning his pride at serving with Americans in Iraq has sometimes backfired, due to the inescapable politics that unfortunately tend to dominate that entire topic. For many of us, the war will never be as personal as it has been for somebody like Hussein and his family. Keep them and the many others affected by this conflict in your thoughts as they continue their own personal reconstructions.

Huntingdon is a Cool Town

During my haitus from Baghdad in the summer of 2006, when I was visiting Steve in State College (he refers to this period as "the occupation"), I spent more than a few afternoons riding my motorcycle around Central PA, touring the countryside at an appropriately leisurely pace. I ride a Yamaha V-Star, which falls into the "cruiser" category of bike, and that acurately describes the particular attitude I have towards riding. A network of lesser-traveled roads stretches out from State College connecting tiny hamlets, winding along streams, carving through farmland and rolling up and over the surrounding hills. You must remain very alert when riding, and this diligence is rewarded in the rich detail you observe in the passing terrain. The road takes on a familiarity that is unknown while traveling the same route in a car. Your relationship is more intimate, and the results of a misunderstanding therefore more potent. Moreso than you ever would in a car, you appreciate air. It's thick, and doesn't like to get pushed around. You feel it change temperature while passing a wheatfield or rounding a shady turn. In short, motorcycle riding makes you become more aware of variables. The essence of cruising is therefore to be found in the fact that even if it's the same road, it's not the same trip.

On one of these jaunts I rolled down Rt. 26 into Huntingdon, PA near Raystown Lake. I eased past the campus of Juniata College and through downtown and pulled over at the point where Standing Stone Creek pours into the Juniata River. A few old railroad bridges cross the creek at that point, and there's a little trail down under the trestles to the edge of the river. Maybe it was the similarity to my hometown of Selinsgrove, with Susquehanna University, that struck me but in any case I took an immediate liking to Huntingdon. "Cool little town," I thought as I remounted and headed east on 22.

On Thursday, Steve and I paid a visit to the Huntingdon Kiwanis Club to give our "What Matters" presentation, and as I rolled into town I saw the banner in the above photograph. Seems like I'm not the only one who got a good impression from this great PA town. Budget Travel magazine put Huntingdon in this year's list of the top five "Coolest Small Towns in America." Cool.


We had a great lunch with the Kiwanis members, and really enjoyed talking about the challenges and rewards of local government with Huntingdon's Mayor-elect Dee Dee Brown and Borough Council President Glenn Stampfle (pictured here). Special thanks to club member Mike Boyle for all the extra help.

State College... and the "Surge"

Last week we delivered our Summer 2009 presentation "What Matters" at the State College Rotary Club. "What Matters" briefly lays out the connections that can be made between a foreign policy issue such as counterinsurgency in Iraq and the importance of community service in Central PA. Sound far-fetched? Not really. Using the events in Baghdad during the "surge" of 2007-08 as a backdrop, we stressed that in order to appreciate when a community is functioning in a positive and progressive way for its citizens, you need to understand that "history" matters, that "service" matters, and that "local" matters.

The surge strategy emerged when thoughtful reflection on "history" provided guidance on what had - and hadn't - been working to bring stability to Baghdad since the 2003 invasion. Policies and operations put in place supported "service" through enabling the return of Baghdad's mid-level officials to their positions in government and enhancing the efforts of civic-minded individuals to bring positive change to their communities. And major improvements were made to the security situation when the "local" concerns of Baghdad's citizens were addressed in important ways.

While many of the challenges faced in Baghdad differ from our day-to-day lives in Pennsylvania towns, a common thread is to be found in how solutions to our problems can be found in a deeper appreciation of the heritage of selfless service cultivated among the men and women that choose to see their personal well-being as intimately connected to the well-being of their local community - and beyond.

Thanks to the State College Rotary Club for their hospitality; and we want to express a special note of gratitude to club member (and retired Marine Corps Gulf War veteran) Eric Loop for making it such a great evening.

Summer Update

The big theme for The Bisbee Project this summer is simply: “connections”. We’ve been keeping busy with all sorts of different activities, but when it comes right down to it the common thread is all about building connections in some way or another. Our guiding principle, as always, is one of service to our local communities. We believe that when you are doing something positive in your area, in doesn’t take much to see how seemingly small actions right in your backyard can have big consequences elsewhere.

We are proud to announce another successful year for our Scholarships for Service program. Our Class of 2009 awardees recently graduated from eight Central PA high schools and are on their way off to the challenges of college and future careers in service. As always, we are continually on the lookout for ways to support PA’s historical heritage with our Preserving Pennsylvania grants, and we continue to highlight the stories of some very talented and dedicated individuals with our Profiles in Service roster. Aside from these, we have been busy building connections through a whole variety of activities.

Dan is following up his experiences developing counterinsurgency strategy in Baghdad by doing research on the history of counterinsurgency and post-conflict governance en route to his PhD in world history at the University of Pittsburgh. Dan recently attended the World History Association annual conference at Salem State College in historic Salem, Massachusetts. The WHA is the professional organization dedicated to the advancement of a history that makes connections across vast spans of time and space, builds bridges between divergent academic disciplines and brings together scholars from all levels of education, from high schools to research universities.

Steve is displaying Pennsylvania’s entrepreneurial spirit by launching an internet start-up company dedicated to harnessing the global power of the internet to connect local businesses with local capital and local customers. The new platform, called cogster, will help investors who are looking to put their money in “Main Street” instead of Wall Street.

Whether you are in Baghdad or along the banks of the Susquehanna, the actions of individuals at the local level are always connected to what’s going on in the big picture.

Investing in Iraq's future

Here's a recent WSJ editorial from counterinsurgency guru John Nagl and Dan Rice, a colleague from Iraq. Economic development in Iraq is the way to secure the security gains earned there; the authors propose an enterprise fund to help Iraqi businesses grow.

A Jump Start For Iraq’s Private Sector
WSJ July 7, 2009

WASHINGTON -- Now that we’ve withdrawn U.S. troops from Iraqi cities, American strategy must shift its emphasis from combat to post-conflict operations. As in post World War II Germany and Japan, economic development through employment is key to maintaining stability.

Yet current development programs in Iraq -- like the Commanders’ Emergency Response Fund, which lets senior military officials spend money on “urgent humanitarian relief and reconstruction” projects -- focus largely on short-term job creation, not on sustainable economic development that reduces unemployment in the long term. A more appropriate weapon would be an enterprise fund to help Iraqis invest in long-term growth.

American counterinsurgency doctrine recommends that the majority of effort be spent on economic development and governance, not on direct combat operations. To date, however, we have not followed our own advice: The U.S. still spends more than 90% of its investment dollars in Iraq on troops, equipment, weapons and logistics.

True, as security has dramatically improved, U.S. commanders on the ground have expended more than $4 billion in emergency response funds to provide Iraqis with jobs such as street cleaning, repair and garbage collection, and on essential services such as medical care and water treatment. But this pot of money was never intended to create long-term jobs, and commanders are restricted from investing the funds in private-sector enterprises.

Most of Iraq’s businesses were formerly state-owned enterprises. But we have dealt with this problem before. After the fall of communism in 1989, the U.S. helped Eastern European and Russian state-owned enterprises transition to the demands of a free-market economy. Ten enterprise funds were created in 10 different countries for a total of $1.3 billion. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) made loans to private-sector fund managers who invested the funds in small to medium-sized businesses. In essence the U.S. government became a very large limited partner in a private-equity fund to create sustainable jobs. Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Eastern Europe has a prosperous private sector in no small part because of the impact of these enterprise funds.

Private capital is already at work in Iraq, demonstrating the validity of this model both for economic development and for increasing employment. For example, Iraq currently imports over $100 million of tomato paste from its neighbors every year, despite the fact that it has enormous agricultural potential in the irrigated farmland between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Until recently, Iraqi farmers had no incentive to grow tomatoes on a commercial scale because there were no tomato-paste processing plants within reasonable transportation distances. In 2008, a private-equity fund invested in the Harir Tomato Paste and Juice processing facility, which had been defunct since the invasion in 2003. With only one Western employee and 200 direct Iraqi employees, the Harir plant is now profitable and has given thousands of Iraqi farmers a market for their produce.

This model could be replicated in factories throughout Iraq in multiple industries if an enterprise fund is approved by Congress. We suggest a $250 million Iraq enterprise fund. While this would only account for one-third of 1% of annual U.S. spending in Iraq, it would have an important amount of financial leverage; the sum could open 10 $25 million enterprises strategically located throughout the country. Instead of spending billions of taxpayer dollars for short-term programs, the enterprise funds could create long-term growth and employment in Iraq while giving U.S. taxpayers a return on their investment in the form of a share of profits going back to the USAID -- while appreciably diminishing support for the insurgency.
As we withdraw from Iraq’s cities we must seek to replace our bases with businesses. An enterprise fund for Iraq is a good way to start the process of achieving victory through economic development.

Dr. Nagl is the president of the Center for a New American Security. Mr. Rice is a partner and co-founder of The Marshall Fund. Both are graduates of West Point who have served in Iraq.

Update from Afghanistan: Memorial Day

Our Memorial Day message this year is brought to you by Profile in Service Michael Baumgartner, whose monthly messages from Afghanistan I re-post here at The Bisbee Project. Instead of his usual commentary on the state of counternarcotics in Afghanistan, Michael offers a Memorial Day tribute to two of our fallen colleagues. Steve Farley was killed in Baghdad last year, and Terry Barnich died in an attack in Baghdad on Monday. We offer our condolences to those touched by these losses, and our solemn remembrances to the many, many Americans who have fallen in the line of duty in service to their nation.

May Greetings from Helmand,
I hope this message finds you having a blessed and reflective Memorial week. As with last year in Iraq, I’ve found that being in the proximity of our brave men and women in uniform helps add a greater level of appreciation for this special day, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifices to make our country so exceptional.

In particular, I’ve dedicated my Memorial week reflections to two special Americans I knew from Iraq. The first is Steve Farley -- a Great American who was killed last year in Sadr City. I met Steve a almost a year ago and although I only spent a few hours with him, was amazed and heartened by his enthusiasm and dedication to helping America make Iraq a better place. The day I met him I had a bit of a rough morning as I had watched an MRAP truck in front of me take a roadside bomb and then burn down as we went through Baghdad, and I was honestly a bit depressed when I met Steve a while later. He quickly picked up my spirits and it was impossible not to be motivated by his sunny demeanor as we hung out in that crappy Sadr City JSS for the afternoon. He took me on a short walk ‘outside the wire’ and then had me watch how Iraqis who had property destroyed by the US military during the heavy fighting going on against JAM insurgents during that time had their claims processed by some young Army officers. It was really neat to watch, and I thought demonstrated the benevolence of America in a very difficult situation. After that, we talked about how to better get the central Iraqi government to coordinate and provide services to Sadr City as part of the Baghdad Security Plan.

The most amazing thing about Steve was that he was so dedicated to helping Iraq that after already serving a year in uniform in Baghdad, he stayed home in Oklahoma for all of a week or so before he came back as a civilian with the State Department. I remember that evening I met him telling some of my friends on Baghdad PRT about this amazing guy I had met – he really was.

About two weeks after I met him, Steve was killed by a suicide bomb while trying to help out at a Sadr City district council meeting. I’m sure he was at that meeting in part to try and get the bombed up sewer and water systems fixed (literally rivers of sewage were flowing in the streets after the fighting) and the people there some clean drinking water.

The other Great American I’ve been thinking about is Terry Barnich, a guy who used to work down the hall from me at the Embassy in Baghdad. I’ve just learned that Terry was killed in Baghdad yesterday (25 May). Terry worked in the State Department office that tried to rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure and apparently was in a convoy that took an IED. Details of the attack are beginning to emerge. [Here is a Chicago Tribune story. DB]

Terry and I weren’t close friends, but we’d get a coffee occasionally and I always thought he did great work and was a good guy – the kind guy you definitely would have made an effort to get a drink with if you happened to both be passing through the same town.

Terry once saw me trying to take pictures around the Embassy with my small camera and offered to let me use his pretty high tech camera. His camera was a lot better and I thought it would be fun to try it out for the day. When I put the pic on my computer, I found that his camera’s memory chip still had a bunch of his pictures on it, and so when I downloaded the pictures I took, I ended up with a bunch of his too.

This evening I’ve been looking at a hundred or so random pics I have of Terry on my computer. He and his family in Glacier national park, in Rome, whitewater rafting, making funny faces and poses, etc. – the kind of stuff one does on holiday, lots of smiles and hugs. I always meant to delete those picture before, but never got around to it. Obviously very sad and surreal to see them today. I had never really paid attention to those photos; hard not to today.

The insurgents and terrorists who want to try to keep America from helping Iraq be a better place hit their marks with Steve and Terry. These two patriots were dedicated to helping the Iraqi people and did so much to help them. Please celebrate their sacrifice and include them in your Memorial week thoughts as we honor those who’ve made our nation so wonderful.

Pray for Peace in Afghanistan and Iraq,

-Michael J. Baumgartner

Job hunting? Use social networks to make crucial connections

A Penn colleague of mine, Brennan Carlson, is featured in this Computerworld article. Brennan's tech savvy is out of this world, and his advice here is right on the money.

Job hunting? Use social networks to make crucial connections

Posted using ShareThis

Dropping in on Philipsburg, PA

Continuing our tour of service groups located in the communities of Central Pennsylvania, we stopped by for a luncheon meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Philipsburg, PA last week. Nestled into the Moshannon Valley a few miles west of State College, Philipsburg has a history that dates to its founding as a frontier settlement in 1797. Even following the well-worn path of US 322, one still gets a sense of the wildness that must have greeted the area's original Indian inhabitants and early Pennsylvania settlers.

Steve and I have spoken about The Bisbee Project at a number of venues, and when I speak I generally relate our efforts to support local activism with my experiences in Baghdad during the "surge." It's really not as far a stretch as it may sound. While the security aspects of the surge, including the increase in combat power committed to Baghdad, have often been stressed, a lesser-known story involves the degree to which the successes of the surge were a result of local Iraqi leaders and mid-level government officials stepping forward to get their communities back on the right track.

One of the key episodes that I relate involves our efforts to combat the black market oil economy in Baghdad. In mid-2007, we recognized that a militia-run "extra-government" existed in Baghdad. Running parallel to the legitimate government institutions responsible for providing services to Baghdad's residents was a network of alternative institutions subverting government resources to serve criminal and militant ends -- whether offering services to a select loyal constituency, or to the highest bidder. One of the most pervasive, and profitable, networks dealt in the corruption of the oil products distribution system.

The Iraqi state has a system by which it provides oil products (gasoline for cars, kerosene for heating, propane for cooking, etc.) at a very low subsidized rate to its citizens. But to run such a system, you need strong government controls. Without those controls, corrupt officials on the inside and criminal networks on the outside have a huge opportunity to divert wholesale products to a retail black market. Citizens are often willing to part with a little more cash than to ask too many questions about where the oil they are buying came from.

A real success story of the surge came during the fall and winter of 2007/08, when a team of Iraqi government officials at the local, municipal, provincial and national level came together and coordinated an effort to deliver oil products at the official government rate to several Baghdad neighborhoods. This coordination reached across multiple civilian and security agencies and took place among individuals of many different political backgrounds. Success at this effort created a boost in confidence in the Iraqi government at a critical time, and established important precedents for inter-agency coordination within the Iraqi government.

There are lessons to be drawn from Baghdad during the surge, and these lessons are meaningful to the communities of Central Pennsylvania. While it is common to reflect on the great leaders and grand strategies of a moment in history, it is important to recognize the rarely-noticed decisions and actions of committed individuals at the local level -- individuals who take an active part in strengthening their communities. This is the message I brought to the Kiwanis Club of Philipsburg, and this is the message of The Bisbee Project.

Our thanks go out to Emily Getti-Doyle and the rest of the Philipsburg Kiwanis for a great afternoon, and we hope that O/P Senior Prom goes well! We would also like to take a moment to recognize Merle Butterworth, pictured here. Long before serving as a Kiwanis member, he served in the 3rd Army Division, taking part in the Battle of the Bulge during his three years in the European theater of WWII. To Merle and the generations who served before us, your example will never fail to inspire. Thank you.

The view from Tyrone, PA

If you've never driven the section of Route 99 between State College and Altoona, PA in the early morning hours, you've missed some of the most beautiful scenery in Pennsylvania. Nestled into a ridgeline that creases down the center of the state, 99 winds south towards the turnpike while presenting commanding views of the hills and valleys that roll out to the west as far as the morning mist allows you to see.

About 15 miles to the north of Altoona lies the town of Tyrone, PA, an important community in the history of Pennsylvania's coal economy and home to the always popular Gardner's Candies. Steve and I dropped in to Joe's Place on Old 220 to visit with the Tyrone Kiwanis Club during one of their regular breakfast meetings. Steve talked about our ongoing efforts to build connections with service-oriented groups, like Kiwanis clubs, across the central PA area.

Steve explained part of the rationale of The Bisbee Project's Scholarships for Service program that I think is important to reiterate here. High school graduation season is approaching, and we make every effort to attend every ceremony where our scholarships are awarded. We think it is extremely important to recognize the young people who have decided to pursue careers in service in front of their peers, and make note of how crucial getting good people into positions of responsibility is for our society.

The recent NFL draft drives home a few points about what our society values, in our view. Now, we love pro football as much as anybody, but it is striking when you sit back and think about how much attention is paid to the development of our athletes -- and how haphazard is our society's approach to developing its public servants. For days we are glued to our TV sets watching the draft, and now many of us know exactly where last year's college football stars are playing in the next NFL season. But how many of us can name a single brigade or division commander serving in Iraq or Afghanistan? We can easily list off the names of the top three wide receivers or defensive ends snapped up with multi-million dollar contracts, but do we know who's running for our local school board in this spring's primary? Just something worth thinking about...

We want to thank Bill Ellenberger and the rest of the Kiwanis members for welcoming us to Tyrone. Community service may not be as glamourous as the NFL, but it certainly is essential. Thanks to everybody out there who understands where our real priorities are.